


scarlet letters

by ElasticElla



Category: The Bold Type
Genre: (rating is a soft mature due to subject matter), F/M, Post Episode: s01e05 No Feminism in the Champagne Room, bi babes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-03
Updated: 2017-08-03
Packaged: 2018-12-10 15:30:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11694585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElasticElla/pseuds/ElasticElla
Summary: Sutton regularly gets off to high-end erotica.Alex is a writer.





	scarlet letters

**Author's Note:**

> all the thanks to andrea for beta reading <3
> 
> [tumblr](http://bizeke.tumblr.com/) for more feels explosions

Sutton loves many things about her new job. She loves the perks she pushed for- three days a week getting an all you can eat lunch _really_ helps morale. She loves being on the fashion side of things and organizing Oliver’s schedule and putting outfits together. She does _not_ love sharing a desk with three other women, is used to having her own space.

So when Alex comes over five minutes before lunch saying he wants to pick her brain and will buy her lunch, she already has her bag before he finishes the question.

“Let’s go before the rush,” Sutton says and they head to the elevators.

“First thing,” Alex says, “what do you feel like eating?”

Sutton blinks, “You’re paying, I’m very flexible.”

Alex shakes his head, smiling. “It’s for an article- some research- it’s getting written off.”

Sutton perks up, “In that case, wanna try the new Portuguese place?”

“Yeah, I’ll call to be safe.”

Sutton’s pretty sure they’ll be there around the time Alex finishes calling for a reservation, but it’s cute. Well not cute, it’s _nice_ to have such a reliable friend who’s ready for potential lunch plan changes. Not that it’s really a plan per se, it’s just- god she needs to get laid.

Alex shoots her a look, and Sutton’s eyes go wide. Shit. That last part might not have been in her head.

“Great thank you,” Alex says, hanging up. “We can just walk in, they’ll have a table ready.”

“Mhmm, I noticed you ordered food too,” Sutton quickly says.

“Yeah she said they were packing up the brunch buffet, so I had her hold two plates. I thought it’d be a fun appetizer.”

“Appetizer?” Sutton echoes with raised eyebrows. “How long a lunch is this?”

Alex laughs, pulling open a door Sutton nearly walked by. “Well apparently you broke up with the secret boyfriend, so who knows.”

A chill darts down her spine, and she stumbles into the restaurant. “Um- how do you know that? Do you know…?”

“Calm down,” Alex says, “I don’t know who. I just know around a week ago you stopped wearing your favorite perfume. We have the table for Alex.”

“Right this way,” the hostess says, leading them to a booth.

He waits until they’re seated and the hostess has handed them menus and left to ask, “Do you wanna talk about it?”

“With detective boy wonder who can probably tell me exactly what went wrong? No,” Sutton snaps.

“Okay,” Alex says, holding his hands up.

Their waiter comes over then, setting down a platter and two plates. He also gives them each a glass of water, asking if they’d like anything else. Sutton’s more than a little overwhelmed, excited to try everything and feeling a little more guilty at how defensive she got.

“Can you get back to us on that?” Alex asks, and he nods, leaving them.

She goes for a bread roll first, simplicity first always.

“Sorry,” Sutton says. “It’s just everything was fine before the promotion. And then he wanted to become way more serious than I did, and just all these little lies kept adding up.”

Alex nods slowly, “That sucks.”

“Yeah,” Sutton agrees. “Anyways, how can I help with your article? Is it about finance in Pennsylvania?”

“Funny, no. Jane told me you read a lot of erotic novels?”

Sutton laughs, “Yeah, I’m not really a porn girl, so…”

“Perfect,” Alex says, flipping open his notebook. “Do you have any favorite authors?”

“Do I,” Sutton grins, leaning forward to plate some of the seafood medley. “Okay you got your famous authors, like D.H. Waldorf and R. Mills. They have a ton of books, print and e-books, a bunch of fans, but the content’s total crap.”

“The New York Bestsellers of erotica?” Alex asks.

Sutton laughs, “Exactly. Like there are a few gems, but most of it is bland. The trick is finding an author that writes a way you like, and even better if they do kinks or fantasies that you have.”

“That sounds pretty hard to find,” he says.

Sutton shrugs, “It can be. It’s a lot like finding a movie reviewer with similar taste to yours.”

Alex chuckles, “I might have to quote that.”

“I’m earning my scallops, these are delicious by the way.”

“Good. Would you be comfortable talking about your favorite writer? If you have one?” Alex asks, spooning some scallops onto his own plate.

Sutton smiles at that, swallows. “Yeah, sure. Actually I just found this new writer- they might even agree to an interview. They only have two books out, but oh my god, Alex they’re amazing. Honestly I can’t even count how many times I’ve read them let alone- ahem, they should be way more popular. I forget the author’s name but the books are called _Crimson Crusade_ and _Ruby Revelations_.”

Alex starts choking, and Sutton hurries to add, “I know the titles suck, but really the writing-”

“Sutton-”

“-it’s _so_ good, at least read-”

“I wrote those!” Alex interrupts.

Sutton’s jaw drops, flushing as she remembers what she just told Alex. “Ohmygod you didn’t.”

Alex scratches the back of his neck, “Honestly so few people have bought them, I didn’t bother mentioning it.”

“I’m so sorry, you probably didn’t wanna know-” Sutton cuts herself off, making a vague hand gesture.

“It’s flattering? Not usually but since I know you- this is sounding worse out loud,” Alex says.

“Well it’s probably breaking some journalistic integrity rule to interview your alter-ego, so N. Yuki is a second favorite. Her stuff’s solid and she has an indie following, she might be up for it.”

Alex nods and closes the notebook, “Thanks.”

Sutton bites her lower lip, “So, can I ask you about them?”

Alex blinks up at her, “Yeah, sure.”

“Are you writing more?”

The waiter comes back then, and both agree they’re too full from the buffet leftovers, taking the check.

“I am.”

“Well, you can’t stop there! About who and what? New characters? Old ones?” Sutton asks.

“One of the friends, Lily- it’s a story for her,” Alex says.

The receipt comes back and they head out, waiting until they’re outside to continue talking.

“Okay cool, so what happens with Lily?” she asks.

“I’m not sure. She’s having the affair with her childhood friend and her husband is returning from overseas early.”

Sutton stops in the middle of the sidewalk, “Pierre isn’t her husband? They’re so- so perfect together.”

Alex grins, “That’s what I wanted the readers to feel. I’m just not into the love triangle anymore, so I’m not sure where the story’s going.”

“Writer’s block,” Sutton says and they start walking back to work.

“Yeah,” Alex laughs, “I never thought of it that way with all the writing I do for Scarlet.”

“Well maybe that’s it,” Sutton says.

“Huh?”

“You need to write erotica that isn’t about Lily. Maybe that isn’t even in your series, like a first pancake.”

Alex’s eyebrows come together, “If I’m writing I’d rather have it for one of my jobs, not some extra thing.”

They reach Scarlet, and Sutton says, “If you’re not writing already, it isn’t extra. It’s a little jump start.”

Alex’s lips twitch, but he relents. “Fine.”

“Great,” Sutton exclaims, and there’s a huge line for the elevator. “Here,” she says, pulling out a card and writing on the back, “it’s my personal email if you want to be accountable to someone.”

“Sutton,” Alex breathes.

“Is that weird?” she asks, hesitating before handing it over.

“Nah,” Alex says, grabbing the card. “I’ll just send you that document when it’s ready.”

“Great. Oh, I forgot to grab the creamer we’re out of, I’ll see you around,” Sutton says, totally not running away.

.

She doesn’t tell Kat or Jane about Alex’s books. In fact, once work is done, she finds herself curled up in bed early with her kindle, debating. It isn’t weird to read it now that he knows, right? He did take the card with her email. And he said her getting off to his work was flattering so- okay, she’ll just reread it to soothe her curiosity. No touching herself. Just g-rated reading smut times… with the door closed.

Once she clicks, her kindle automatically opens to the page she’d been on last of _Crimson Crusade._ Licking her lips- and then wiping them off because that wasn’t what this was about- Sutton begins to read.

‘ _Lily will be here soon, we don’t have time, Jordan!’_

_Jordan kisses down her neck, fingers slipping up her skirt, ‘Can you be quiet for me? Ride my fingers until you come and-_

Sutton hits the menu button, going back to the first page. She should have remembered it’d be at her favorite part and there was no way she’d survive rereading _that_ section and looking Alex in the eye tomorrow. (Her brain automatically skips through the action: Jordan finger banging Cassie, slapping her inner thighs wide and lifting her onto the kitchen counter when she slipped. Jordan eating her out until Cassie came, shadows passing the windows right before the knock.)

Right, reading from the beginning. Stopping whenever it got to be too much. She can do this.

_Cassie wakes up nice and slow to the scent of an ocean breeze and coffee. It comes back to her then: the promotion, the impromptu vacation, Jordan sweeping her off of her feet. It has all the makings of a bad romance novel, but Cassie doesn’t care- her only goal for this week off is to feel good._

_One that seems increasingly attainable as Jordan joins her in bed, straddling her hips._

' _Good morning mi amor, passion or sustenance first?'_

_Cassie smiles, a wicked idea coming to mind. 'Why not both?'_

Sutton shuts her kindle off, putting it on her bedside table. So she forgot how quickly Alex started his books off. Maybe that meant Alex liked-

Nope. Bad thoughts.

She can think about the characters, that’s it. Rereading the first bit actually, she’s pretty sure Cassie is never described physically. Neither is Jordan. They’re both left open, doubtless for reader insertion, but it’s smooth enough that Sutton didn’t really notice it until now. It makes her wonder if Alex based either of them off someone or-

Sutton groans, covering her face with her hands. She’s done. No more thinking about Alex and erotica. Definitely no touching herself tonight. (She tries not to, but she keeps seeing Cassie and Jordan in the kitchen, and she’s always imagined herself as Cassie. It’s too easy to make Alex Jordan and-)

Sleep. She’s going to sleep _now_.

.

In the morning, Sutton slides open her phone, checking her calls and texts first. There’s nothing from the office, a good sign, and she goes to her email next. There’s a message from three am, and she opens it, curious.

_To: pennsutton@hotmail.com_  
_From: alex.crawford@gmail.com  
_ _Subject: [blank]_

_Nothing is working. For someone who writes for a living you’d think I can just write some random smut and call it a day. Becky bangs Bob, now with exciting strap-on action. It’s not a problem in the writing I know that, it’s something else. And as Jacqueline would say, work through it. So this is me working through it. In an email doc instead of a word doc because apparently I am that much of a masochist. (Well, Sutton, if I fuck up enough to send this instead of leaving it in my drafts I deserve you knowing whatever commitment issues come out of this.)_

_Lily wasn’t based on anyone. Maybe that was the problem. Too many potential directions to go and I’m ambivalent towards all of them. No, that’s not fair or it. I haven’t written about specific people since, hell, since high school I think. Since the boy who moved across the country and he wanted me to write of our reunion. Colt. Sweet kid. I obviously can’t-won’t-don’t want to write about him now, but the answer is on those tracks. Since you’re already here, I hope you don’t mind me borrowing you._

_We’re back in the conference room. Only this time there aren’t glass walls and this time we don’t get interrupted. We’re laughing over your not-so powerful hissy pose and you make your move, going back to the actual one._

' _So anything?' you ask._

_I nod, chuckle maybe, 'Oh yeah, very powerful'_

' _Kiss me.'_

_And I would, god I would love to kiss you and hold you and-_

_I got it._

Sutton blinks, wide awake now.

Holy shit.

.

Sutton likes making lists. Like little daily to-do lists on sticky notes, a chores list on the fridge because Jane would live in a literal garbage dump without blinking, and Christmas lists nearly a year early because she _hates_ picking out presents. This morning’s list is to talk to Alex about the email or not to.

In favor: 

  1. There’s no way he doesn’t know he accidentally sent it. He’ll know by either checking his drafts or his sent folder.
  2. He literally wrote about them kissing.
  3. Sutton’s definitely interested in kissing Alex. And more, whatever he’d be down for really.



Against:

  1. He hasn’t called or texted or emailed again, so maybe he wants to pretend it never happened.
  2. Could this ruin their friendship? It seems like it could. She really doesn’t want to do that.
  3. Maybe he wasn’t really writing about _her_. Like the Ideal Sutton or Sexy Sutton, like if you wanted to play with Malibu Barbie not standard boring Barbie.
  4. She could just wait and see what Alex does.



Sutton needs a goddamn cup of coffee.

She ends up spending the trip to work imagining various ways the morning might play out. Her favorite is one where they both decide to run in slow motion towards each other across the lobby and then make out. Not realistic, but y’know, favorite.

Knowing Alex, he’ll pull her aside and apologize. He’ll say how he didn’t mean to send it and he understands if she doesn’t feel comfortable around him anymore. And Sutton will say something overly flirtatious that totally misses the mark, and Alex will back up with a slight frown. He’ll be all serious voice and, ‘I didn’t mean to lead you on Sutton, I actually have a long lost love that just came to NY.’ Okay fine, the last bit needed tweaking, but otherwise probable.

A new idea hits her as she reaches their floor- maybe Alex was secretly married- when she steps off the elevator and directly into Alex.

“Hi,” she gasps, backing up a bit, “sorry.”

“No, my bad, I uh- can we talk somewhere?”

“Yeah,” she sighs, here it comes.

They step into a deserted room, and Alex is grinning. “I finished it.”

Sutton lets out a little laugh, “What?”

“The story, I just started writing last night like maybe two or three in the morning and I just kept writing until it was done.”

Sutton swallows, “That’s wonderful.”

Alex’s eyebrows furrow, “Is something wrong?”

“Um,” Sutton licks her lips, “you uh, don’t remember sending me anything?”

Alex’s eyes go wide, “Oh no. I am _so_ sorry-”

Sutton holds up a hand, “It’s fine, really.”

“What’d you think?” Alex asks, hands on his hips.

Sutton crosses her arms, tilting her head, “Are you really doing a power pose right now? Nevermind, um what?”

“The email,” Alex says, softer.

A slow smile crosses her lips because he wouldn’t be asking if this wasn’t going well. “Frankly I think it’s lacking. I mean, what even happens with us?”

“When?”

“Well, I say kiss me and-”

Alex leans in halfway and Sutton meets him, and the reality is so much better than any fiction she could have read or imagined.


End file.
